Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

The 2400 Motel is important for its historical, formal, aesthetic and cultural values, most particularly for being a prominent marker of the evolution of Kingsway following the Second World War. One of the premier motor court addresses following its construction in the years immediately following the Second World War, the 2400 Motel is the sole remaining record of Kingsway assuming the key role in providing up-to-date car-oriented accommodation for North Americans traveling to Vancouver. The 2400 Motel is a marker of the coming-of-age of Kingsway as the northern terminus of the Pacific Highway, which linked Vancouver via the Pattullo Bridge and the King George Highway to the American highway system south to Mexico. Built in 1946, the design is based on barracks and military stylings so that the returning soldiers and new families would feel grounded and familiar: the scale and spacious distribution of the repeated bungalow duplexes set in the expansive lawn landscape are typical of housing schemes and suburban housing of this period, suiting this more residential stretch of Kingsway. The bungalow form, details and materials are all typical of post-War houses and public housing, including war workers’ housing and veterans’ housing. The formality of the site planning at the 2400 Motel, including the Kingsway vehicular-only entrance, set on an axis with the administration office, the formal flower beds and clipped shrubbery, and the iconic signage along Kingsway, are together a memorable commercial interpretation of Modernist car-oriented suburban site planning and design. The Motel has been a beacon in the community for over 75 years, and we embrace that tradition! Our position as a leader in the community is being rebuilt as we speak, and those efforts are being recognized as you will see further below.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

Stemming from our historic roots with Car Culture, and Road Tripping we have partnered with the Vintage Car Club of Canada - Vancouver Chapter for many years. We host their summer Show and Shine annually - in fact this year the show is coming up on August 18th! This is a great opportunity to support a local association, but also provide some entertainment for our local community and guests. We have also installed EV Chargers, available for public use! Post COVID, we have committed to renovating our spaces and culture, and a huge part of this is a focus on sustainability. We have been in the East Vancouver community for 78 years and take that place of pride seriously. We are working hard to ensure we are part of the conversation and solutions heading into the future! Those efforts have been recognized formally in 2024 is several ways already! - We won the British Columbia Hotel Association Sustainability Champion award, and have been in various news pieces as a result from CBC to Global, to industry magazines. Check out our website for more information! - We were Certified Silver with Greenstep Sustainable Tourism - Canada's leader in this space. - We have signed the Sustainable Tourism 2030 - We successfully completed the Buy Social Canada Social Procurement Professional Certificate; helping give us better tools to ensure we purchase intentionally with goods and services that better benefit our direct community. - We are active within the hospitality community, attending and supporting industry events and conferences with Destination Vancouver, Destination British Columbia, British Columbia Hotel Association, and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). We also serve on the board of HSMAI BC as President Elect. - We work with local partners in our Neighbourhood to cross promote and advertise where possible - including Beefway Meets, The Tipper Restaurant, Purdys Choclatier, select breweries, and the Collingwood Neighbourhood House. - We have a formal sponsorship agreement with our fellow East Vancouver landmark - The Vancouver Canadians Baseball and Nat Bailey Field. - We provide accommodation to several agencies to assist when people need it most - for example the Canadian Red Cross, Emergency Support Services; or when people are new to town and getting launched with the Immigration Services Society. - We have an AED on site, and available for public use to help ensure the safety of our community

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

We are a small, independent, property working hard to be a symbol in a time of conglomerations, over-consumption, and a focus on the bottom line. Our triple P approach to success (People, Planet, then Profit) is something we are proud to share! The 2400 Motel is one of the oldest properties in the city, yet has undergone a shift in its focus to ensure it is a landmark for future generations to enjoy. At 78 years old, the property has unique challenges in this modern era - 3.5 acres in metro Vancouver, 18 buildings, 65 units, and all of it based on 1946 standards for electricity, heat, and structure. It would have been easy to accept outdated infrastructure as an excuse, but the Motel has committed to change and grow in meaningful ways! The motel is a beacon, and he has put a focus on the community around it. There is a Social Procurement focus (with formal certification in Feb 2024) to support local, and drive positive change through the social enterprise partners. Marketing has been directed to shine a spotlight on our neighbours through social channels, he has brought the 2400 back into the industry community via webinar and in person attendance at events and conferences. As a proud Living Wage Employer (BC's first accommodation partner), he has become involved as a member of their Round Table at a time when both turnover and affordability are at a critical intersection. The marketing strategy has also bloomed. Showcasing cultural posts such as vintage cars and history, to pet love and car, to events and calls to action the followers have grown on all platforms. Instagram is new and has traction. Google online business has grown approximately 15 fold. Partnerships with the local hospitality community has also flourished as connections with OTAs, SAAS providers, vendors, and the industry at large is the highest in memory. The more light we can shine on efforts like ours, the better for everyone! Let's raise and inspire our community together.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

Related to the community investment above, is also the investment in our culture! We are a proud Living Wage Employer, and were in fact the first Accommodation provider to be such! This enables us to attract and retain talented staff, but more importantly it helps us ensure that they can then take care of their families and thrive! We have also sought other formal ways to demonstrate our inclusivity and engagement: - We are a Rainbow Registered property through the Canadian Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. This partnership has also enabled us access to a robust digital training platform, covering such topics as human rights, DEI, and other courses. - We are also proud members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association - All front office staff have completed the "SuperHost Service For All" course online. - We have taken the Indigenous Pledge of Reconciliation - We host appreciation lunches and team outings to ensure our staff feels the love and bond - Our General Manager is the VP of Partnerships for the HSMAI BC Chapter mentioned above. Through this, we won the Best of the Best Award for a Small Chapter in Partnerships (sponsorships). This is a great reflection of the relationship process we foster through the property. - The Buy Social Canada Social Procurement Professional Certificate referenced above also speaks to the import we place on being deliberate with our purchasing power to support local initiatives.